11 Birthdays

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By:

Wendy Mass

Number of Pages:

267

Minimum grade level:

4th

Have you ever wished that every day could be your birthday – birthday cake and ice cream, presents, friends, lots of attention – every day? Well guess what, it isn’t all that great to celebrate your birthday day in and day out. Especially when it is the first time you are celebrating your birthday without your BFF. You know what BFF stands for, right? (Best Friends Forever). Leo and Amanda were destined to be BFFs. They were born in the same hospital at exactly the same time. There was even a mysterious old woman at the hospital who told their mothers that Leo and Amanda must celebrate their birthdays together every year.

So what happened? Why aren’t they celebrating their 11th birthdays together? Well, at the 10th birthday party, someone said something that wasn’t very nice and from there on out, it’s been no BFF, no joint birthdays, no matter what.

Until Amanda wakes up the morning after her birthday, and the day after that, and the day after that, to find that she is reliving her birthday over and over again. On the fourth day she realizes that there is one other person reliving this day – her former BFF. Only by working together are the two of them going to get out of this mess.

Discussion questions

Spoiler alert! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

Is there one person who has been present at all of your birthdays?

What one thing from today would you like to repeat every day for the next year?

If you woke up and realized that you were reliving yesterday, would you be scared?

What is your favorite kind of birthday cake?

If you overheard your BFF saying something unkind about you, what would you do?